The U.S. wants to involve auto giants in weapons production

The U.S. is considering expanding weapons production by tapping into the civilian industrial sector. The Pentagon is already holding preliminary talks with major industrial companies, including automakers.

This was reported by The Wall Street Journal.

According to sources, U.S. defense officials are discussing with the business community options for utilizing production capacity to manufacture ammunition and military equipment. Among the companies being consulted are General Motors and Ford Motor.

The talks are currently preliminary and cover a wide range of issues: from the possibility of quickly repurposing factories to the complexities of contracts and bidding procedures.

Officials in Washington are assessing how quickly civilian enterprises can switch to fulfilling defense orders.

One reason cited for the intensification of these discussions is the depletion of weapons stocks amid prolonged conflicts, particularly the war in Ukraine and the tense situation in the Middle East. The Pentagon believes that the existing capabilities of traditional defense contractors may not be sufficient for a rapid ramp-up in production.

Other industrial and aerospace companies, including GE Aerospace and Oshkosh Corporation, are also involved in the consultations.

The U.S. Department of Defense emphasizes that the main goal is to rapidly expand the defense industrial base and ensure military superiority.

The initiative is already being compared to the experience of World War II, when civilian enterprises switched en masse to the production of military goods.

The new U.S. defense budget is expected to reach $1.5 trillion and will include significant investments in the production of ammunition and drones.

Earlier, Pyongyang officially announced the successful testing of electromagnetic weapon systems and specialized carbon bombs.

As a reminder, China is stepping up contacts with North Korea ahead of a possible dialogue between Trump and Xi.

According to anonymous sources, Chinese officials have been negotiating with Iranian representatives to encourage Tehran to cooperate and facilitate a truce with the U.S.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is traveling to China this month for the fifth time in four years, seeking to strengthen trade ties and strategic cooperation.